My Friend, The Octopus by Lindsay Galvin

This review will come in two parts, this is the analysis post, the other is to come later this afternoon!! You may know there are a few topics that will immediately endear me to a book, and a combination of such will make me love it. And then there’s the special few that put a …

Rita Wong and the Jade Mask- Mark Jones with illustrations by Seamus Jennings

Rita Wong and the Jade Mask is a curious story. It has this whimsical feel that has whispers from a wide range of modern MG influences, of Pages & Co, Podkin and Stubbs and Dragon Detective meets with portal magic, tumbling into a strange magical world like The Midnight Hour trilogy. It’s very different from …

Clifftoppers: The Frost Castle Adventure by Fleur Hitchcock

I’m a huge fan of Fleur’s writing and especially this Clifftoppers series which I have been following eagerly since the beginning and am hoping desperately that Nosy Crow order another ‘year’ of adventures with the cousins visiting their grandparents’ farm every holiday break. This is perfect read for snowy weather but especially the Twixmas period, …

Robin Hood: Hacking, Heists & Flaming Arrows- Robert Muchamore

I’m a huge fan of Robin Hood as a character and legendary figure, so I was very excited to see this modern reinterpretation of Robin Hood by Robert Muchamore. Depending on the world around us the character and background of Robin Hood is reshaped & remolded to fit the Everyman hero whether he be a …

Clifftoppers: The Thorn Island Adventure -Fleur Hitchcock

I am a huge fan of Fleur Hitchcock’s writing in particular so in the Clifftoppers series because they remind me of the beloved Famous Five adventures that I adored when I was a child and the exceptionally brilliant part is that they are linked in that the children appear in each book visiting their grandparents' …

Dragon Detective: Catnapped! – Gareth P Jones

This tale of the dynamic detective duo Dirk Dilly and Holly published by Stripes is a freshen up for a new generation of The Case of the Missing Cats published by Bloomsbury in 2007 which originally was shortlisted for the Waterstones Book Prize at the time. This updated and new look edition takes into account …

Agent Zaiba Investigates: The Missing Diamonds By Annabelle Sami illus. Daniela Sosa

Agent Zaiba Investigates is a fantastically fun and uplifting detective mystery story, an exciting and bright read for readers aged 8 and up, whilst accessible for younger children with a strong reading ability who are looking for slightly more challenge and stamina building. The bonus is there are illustrations throughout in black and white too …